Broadband and the local government sector
The government's ultra-fast broadband (UFB) rollout aims to deliver broadband speeds of 100 Mbps to 75 per cent of New Zealanders where they live, work, and study.
The rollout will see schools, hospitals, and 90 per cent of businesses covered by 2015, and links to homes and remaining businesses completed by 2019. The government's investment of $1.35 billion will be matched by its commercial partners.
This programme aims to see New Zealand leapfrog its competitors to become one of the most connected countries in the world.
The UFB network is complemented by the government's $300 million Rural Broadband Initiative. This will give 86 per cent of rural houses and businesses broadband peak speeds of at least 5Mbps, and 95 per cent of rural schools access to ultra-fast broadband speeds of 100Mbps.
In addition the mandate of Nga Pu Waea, the Māori working group on rural broadband, is to be extended to include the UFB network.
LGNZ is working with Crown Fibre Holdings and others to ensure there is sharing of best practice models as well as information sharing within the local government sector relating to the UFB roll out programme.
This project creates a real opportunity for local government to play an economic leadership role and partner with central government, local businesses and other stakeholders to:
- develop local digital strategies to leverage the benefits of UFB
- fund strategic initiatives identified in the planning process
- support the execution of these initiatives.
To find out more about how you can reap the benefits of UFB in your region visit http://www.crownfibre.govt.nz/home.aspx
